Windshield cleaner



May 14, 1929. R'. A. RODRICK wINDsHIELD CLEANER Filed March 8, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet l N.\.mh- Q j @E h .ab MN .www 5m. um, v @am HQ l Q0 l I Nbmh m wv .o ,www h, mv e .o wm

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R. A. RODRICK WINDSHILD CLEANER 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ation'. new

Patented May 14, 1929.

Unirse STATES PAT-ENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND A.. ROD'RCK, OF `AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO CLARENCE W. WHITE, OF

AKRON, OHIO, AND HIMSELF. l

WINDSHIELD CLEANER.

l Application filed March 8, 1926. Serial No. 93,065.

rllhis invention relates to new and novel improvements in power operateddevices for actuating reciprocating element and while it is adapted toruse generally, it is particu- .la larlydesipned to be employed inconnection with a wind shield cleaner.

'lhe invention relates to the vsame general type of device as is shownand described in my pending' application, .Serial Number 741,087, tiledOctober l, 1924.-, and aims to provide certain improvements andmoditications in the structure therein shown.

Objects of the invention are to provide a power operated wind shieldcleaner or like device which may be manufactured at a low cost and whichin use will be extremely eiiicient and reliable.

di particular object is to provide a new and improved casing adapted tobe secured across 0 the top of thelwind shield and to provide new andimproved driving elements therein whereby a carriage carrying a windshield cleaner may be carried longitudinally of the casini;1 withoutvibration and without noise.

il. `further object is to provide a device ot the character aboveindicated having` anew and novel arrangement of spiral springs, onearranged to drivea reciprocating element in one direction in a casingand the other ar- J ranged to drive the reciprocatinggl element in theother direction and to provide new and in'iproved means i'or shittingthe reciprocating' element trom one of the springs to the other.

rlhe above objects are accomplished and ad ditional ends are attained bythe novel construction, combination and arrangement ot parts hereinafterdescribed and illustrated in ti accoinp anying drawing, wherein llhaveshown a preferred term ot the invention, it being; understood that theinvention is` capablo et various adaptations and that'ch anges andmodiiications may be made or resort had to substitutions which comewithin. the spirit et the invention as eet forth in theappended claims.1

ln the drawings like numerals of reference are `en'iployed to denotelike parts as the same may appear in any ot' the several views and inwhich :-A

Figure 1 is a side' elevational View ot a windshield cleaner constructedin,` accord-v ance vwith this invention showing the' saine .Figuren is aperspective view ot a portion of the casingI constructed in accordancewith i this invention.

Figure 6 is a plan View of one tace of the motor casing. i

Proceeding now to a detailed description ot the invention with referenceto the particular adaptation thereof shown in the drawings,

the reference character Ais used generally to denote an elongated casingadapted to be secured `to the outer tace ot the wind shield so as toextend transversely across the top thereof. The rear tace of the casino'orthe side presented to the windshield is provided with a longitudinallyextending` slot 10. The casingis provided on the interior tace oit theforward and rear walls thereof with longitudinally directed. oppositelydisposed. channels 11 and 12. The casing is also` provided on theinterior tace oit the bottom wall thereot with two longitudinallydirected, particylindrical channels 18 and 14. Vfhile the casing :maybetoi-ined in any suitable manner.` l prefer to torni the main bodythereo' oit one piece ot sheet metal which is drawn orst-amped to form alongitudinalbox-like structure. The upper portion of the rear wall 15 e;:ends upwardly from the slot 10. The upper wall is denoted by thereference character 16 and the forward wall by the reference character17. The forward wall is pressed inwardly as at 18 to torni the invardlyin fojecting longitudinally extending rib `19, one taceoit which torntrie upper wall. ofthe channel 12. The lower portion oi the torward wall17 is stamped inwardly as at il() to form the longitudinally directedtubular portion 9.1 which surrounds the seat 13. The lower wall islikewise formed to provide a parti-cylindrical portion- 22, the lowerwall being provided centrally thereot1 with the `upwardly stampedportion 23 which forms a dividing wall between the tubular seats 13 and`14. The rear wall is provided CII eoi

n upper wall of the channel 11.

the forward wall Q6 and a inmates in a point 45a.

- l shaft 31. 30

in spaced relationto the lower edge thereof with an inwardly stampedportion 24 which formsV a portion `of the cylindrical wall of the seat14 and the lower wall of the channel 11.

The material is turned inwardly at the lower edge of the slot 10 toprovide the inwardly projecting lip 25 which forms the Thelongitudinally directed seats 13 and 14 are cylindrical in form, eachbeing openA along the upper side thereof for a purpose hereinafterdescribed.

The reference character B is used to denote .an .electric motor whichmay be of any Vdesiredconstruction. The forward face 2G of the motorcasing is provided with a cavity 2.7; the rotor 28 vof the motorismounted on a shaft Q9. The shaft 29is provided on the forward endthereof with a threaded axial bore 30 in which is threaded a shaft 31.The shaft' 31 extends through a suitable bore in spur gear 32 ispositioned in the cavity 27 and operatively fixed on said shaft.

'The numeral 33 denotes a similar spur wheel .which is in mesh with thewheel 32 and which is mounted in'said cavity27 onV the The numeral 35denotes a plate which forms one end of the casing A and which issecuredagainst the face 2G by means ofthe screws 36, thus enclosing thecavity 27. The numeral 37 denotes a block which is shaped to fit theinterior of the easing A and which issecured flat against the plate 35by means 'of the screws 38 or other suitable fastening means.l The endplate 35 is secured to thecasing A by inserting the block 37 into oneend of the casing with the end of the casing in `contact with the endplate 35. Suitable pins or screws 39 are positioned through suitablebores in the casing and secured in suitable bores4() in said blockthereby securing the end plate 35 firmly in place. The

vblock 37 and the plate 35 are provided with parallel bores 41 and 4Qwhich are adapted to receive lthe I shafts 31 and 34 which projecttherethrough into the casing 10. The inv wardly projecting portion ofthe shaft 31 is `provided with a right hand screw thread and theinwardly .projecting portion of-the shaft 34 is provided with a lefthand screw thread. A threaded collar 43 is threaded on the inwardly,projecting end'of the shaft 31 and a similar collar 44 isothre'a ded onthe forwardly projecting end of the shaft 34.

The numeral 45 denotes a stub shaft which is provided on one end thereofwith a right hand thread which is threaded in the collar 43. The otherend of the stub shaft 45 ter- The numeral 4G denotes a similar stubshaft which is provided on one end thereof with a left hand screw threadand is operatively secured in the collar 44, the other end of the stubshaft 46 likewise terminating in a point 46% The numeral 47 denotes aspiral spring which is secured to the stub shaft 45 at a point in spacedrelation to the collar 43. The spring 47 is positioned in the seat 13and extends therethrough to a point in spaced relation to the other endof the casing.

The numeral 48 denotes a like spiral spring which is secured to the stubshaft 4G at a point immediately forward from the collar 44. The spiralspring 48 extends longitudinally' through the scat 14 and terminates ata )oint in spaced relation to the other end o the casing. It will benoted that the secured end of the springr 4S is positioned closer to T-the wall 35 than the secured end of the spring 47 and that the free endof the spring 47 projects beyond the free end of the spring 4S. Thesprings 47 and 48 form screw driving elements having a diameter slightlysmaller than the seats 13 and 14 and the walls of said seats extendaround said screws leaving a gap substantially narrower than thediameter of the springs, thereby securely holding the springs 47 and 48in their proper iosition. The other end of the casing is provided withan end wall 49 to which is suitably secured a block 50 which is similarto the block 37. The block 50 is secured to the end wall 49 and isinserted into the end of the casing to which it is secured by means ofthe screws 51 which are introduced through the walls of the casing intosuitable bores in the side wall of said block 50.

l The numeral 52 denotes packing rings which extend around the lower,forward and rear walls of both ends of the casing to enclose the packing53, thus rendering Huid tight each end wall of each casing. The shaft 31is secured in the end of the rotor shaft with a right hand thread, butit is to he nnderstood that a motor may be used which operates in areversed direction in which case` a reverse threading s vslem would beused.

The numeral 54 denotes a carriage which is provided on the forward andrear sides .thereof with a plurality of rollers 55, these rollers areentered in the channels 11 and 12 so. as to normally operate on thelower walls thereof and are arranged to contact with the lower or upperwalls of said channels The carriage is provided at a point above therollers .55 with a plurality of rollers 56 which are mounted on avertical axis so as to contact with the inwardly projecting flange 2."and the inwardly pressed rib 19. It will thus be seen that the carriageis provided with a doule setof rollers whereby it will be held inlongitudinal alinementin said casini! and may be freely movedlongitudinally thereof with a. minimum of friction.

The numeral. 57 denotes a finger which depends from the carriage 54 andis pivotally secured thereto by means ofthe pin 58, whereby t-he saidfinger 57 may be swung into opllnl lll)

erative engagement with either ofthe springs 47 or 48. rlhe linger 57projects upwardly *from the pin 58 to 'form the upwardly projectingportion 57a. rlhe upwardly projectingportion 57a ol the linger 57 isloosely se- `cured in the loop lever 59 which is pivotally ment el theloop `6l in either direction past the center will cause the spring 62 tomove the loop 5E) in the same direction.

'lhe numeral 63 denotes a linger which jnojects upwardly from the lreeend of the loop 6l. rlhe numeral 64 denotes llat springs one el' whichis secured to each side of the casin g by means ol a pin 65 or othersuitable means. rlhe spring 64 extends across the casing at an angle,with the spring at one end et the casing secured to an opposite wallthereof and being oppositely disposed relative to the first named spring64.

A movement ol the carriage 54 toward the end ol the casing will causethe linger 63 to be engaged by the inclined tace of one of the springs64 whereby a further movement ot the carriage 54 will shift the linger57 ntrom one ot the springs47 or 48 to the other, thereby moving thecarriage in the opposite direction.

rlhe numeral 65 is used to denote an arm which is secured to thecarriage 54 and pro jects outwardly through the slot l0. As shown inFigure 3, the arm projects downwardly and forwardly and terminates at apoint beneath the casing A. The arm is provided with a suitable eye 66to which a Wind-shield cleaning member (not shown) may be attached.

llfhen used as a wind shield cleaner on an automobile, the device isattached to the outside et the wind shield or the automobile top so asto entend across the upper part ol th e wind shield. A wiping element issecured to the arm G5 and the electric motor B is operatively connectedto the battery or electric` generator with which the i automobile isequipped.

'llo use the device, the motor 'B is operated, thus rotating each ol thesprings 47 and 48. lt will be seen that the carriage 54 will be drivenby the spring 48 until it has reached the lree end off said spring. Atthis point the iii Y 63 is engaged by the spring 64 and the im Gl isoperated to throw the linger 57 into operative engagement with thespring 47. lnasinuch as the spring 47 projects beyond the spring 48, theshitting movement is quickly and easily accomplished. The spring 48,which is operating in the opposite direction, engages the linger 57 anddrives the carriage in the opposite direction. As it reaches the otherend ot the casing, 'the linger 57 leaves the en d ot the spring 47simultaneously with the shifting movement caused by the linger G3 being`engaged by the inclined spring 64. This shitting movement causes thelinger 5'? to be again engaged by the spring 48, thus driving thecarriage in the opposite direction.

Having thus illustrated my invention and described the same in detail,what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is z- 1. In adevice ot the class described, a casing having a bottom formed toprovide two parallel parti-cylindrical, longitudinal eX- tending seats,a spiral spring rotatably mounted in each seat, means to rotate saidsprings in opposite directions; inwardly directed, longitudinallyextending ribs project` ing into said casing, said ribs forming groovesin boththe forward and rear walls oli said casing, a carriage mountedtor movement longitudinally ol said casing, said carriage having rollersmounted in said grooves and rollers operating` on certain ol' said ribsto maintain the carriage in longitudinal alinement with said casing; ashiltable linger on said carriage, means normally holding said linger inoperative engagement with either of said springs and means lor shittingthe linger from one spring to the other, said means automaticallyoperable as the carriage is moved to either end of the casing.

2. In a device of the class described, a casing having a longitudinallyextending slot along one side thereof, the bottom olf' said casingformed to provide two parallel particylindrical, longitudinallyextending seats, a spiral spring rotatably mounted in each seat, meansto rotate said springs in opposite directions; 4inwardly directed,longitudinally ei;-

tending ribs projecting into said casing trom both the forward and rearwalls thereof, a carriage mounted for movement longitudinally ol saidcasing, said carriage having rollers mounted between said ribs tomaintain said carriage in longitudinal alignment with said casing, ashilftable linger on said carriage, means normally holding said fingerin operative engagement with either of said springs and means lorshifting the linger from one spring to the other, said meansautomatically operable as the carriage ismoved to either end ot thecasing, an arm on said carriage, said arm projecting from said slot. i

3. In a device olithe class described, a casing having top, side andbottom walls formed of one piece of sheet material, the bottom wallformed to provide two parallel. parti-cylindrical, longitudinallyextending seats, a spiral spring rotatably mounted in each seat, meansto rotate said springs in opposite direc tions, longitudinally directedguide ribs projecting into saidvcasing lrom each side wall llO ashiftable' finger ony saidl carriage, means normally holding Vsaidfinger in operative en- Agagement with either of said springs and meansfor shifting the iinger from one spring to the other, said meansautomatically operable as the carriage is moved to Yeither end of thecasing.

4. In a device of the class described, a casinga carriage mounted'therein for movementlongitudinally thereof, a spiral spring for movingthe carriage in one direction, a spiralspring for 'moving the carriagein the oppositerdirection, means to externally support said spring andhold the same in a straight line over its entire length and means torotate vsaid springs. p

'p 5. In a device of the class described, a casing, a carriage mount-edtherein for movement longitudinally thereof, a spiral spring for movingthe carriage in one direction, a spiral spring for moving the carriagein the oppojsite direction, saidy casing 'forming a seat snuglyenclosing` each spring around the greater part of its circumference, afinger on said carriage, said ingershiftable into operative engagementwithV either of said springs and means operableto shift said finger fromone spring to the other.

'6L' In a device of the class described, a casing, a carriage mountedfor movement longitudinally thereof, a rotatably mounted spiral springfor driving the carriage in one direction, a like spring for driving thecarriage in the opposite direction and means extending longitudinally ofsaid spring to engage the same around the greater part of itscircumference to maintain each spring in a certain position in saidcasing.

7. In a device of the class described, a carriage, a spiral spring fordriving the carriage in one direction, a spiral spring for driving thecarriage in the opposite direction and external means to support andhold each of said springs in an operative position.

8. In a device of the class described, a casing, two parallel,parti-cylindrical seats formed in the wall of said casing, a screwdriving member rotatably mounted in each seat, each of said seatsenclosing the greater part of the circumference of the driving niembermounted therein and extending longitudinally thereof.

'9. In a device of the class described, a casing provided on theinterior face thereof with a seat corresponding in cross section to thegreater pa rt of a circle, a rotatable spiral spring driving membersnugly received in said seat, a carriage moveable longitudinally of saidcasing and a shiftable driving connection between said driving memberand said carriage.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RAYMOND A. RODRICK.

